Showing posts with label John Boehner. Show all posts
Showing posts with label John Boehner. Show all posts

Friday, June 03, 2011

John Boehner to President Obama: It’s clear from this morning’s jobs report, It’s Time to Get Serious About Spending Cuts, Job Growth VIDEO


WASHINGTON, DC (Jun 3) At a press conference with House GOP leaders reacting to today’s jobs report, House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) urged President Obama to “get serious about cutting spending and dealing with America’s ailing economy.” Boehner also highlighted the GOP Plan for America’s Job Creators. Below is text of Boehner’s remarks:

House Republican leaders

It’s clear from this morning’s jobs report that the economy still isn’t creating enough jobs. If you talk to job creators around the country like we have, they’ll tell you all the over-taxing, over-regulating, and over-spending that’s going on in Washington is creating uncertainty and holding them back.

“This week, House Republicans met with the president, urged him to change course, and to work with us on our plan for new jobs and economic growth in our country. We hope he’ll take us up on our invitation.

“If we’re serious about creating jobs in America, we can’t raise taxes on the very people who create jobs, and keep spending money that we don’t have. Yesterday, Moody’s reinforced our point that an increase in the debt limit without major spending cuts will hurt our economy and destroy jobs. That’s why we’ve said that spending cuts must accompany any increase in the debt limit.

“One look at the jobs report should be enough to show the White House it’s time to get serious about cutting spending and dealing with our ailing economy.”

# # # # #

VIDEO and IMAGE CREDIT: JohnBoehner

TEXT CREDIT: Speaker of the House John Boehner Contact: H-232 The Capitol Washington, DC 20515 P (202) 225-0600 F (202) 225-5117

Tuesday, May 31, 2011

John Boehner Tonight’s Debt Limit Vote Shows the House Is Listening to the American People

John Boehner

Speaker Boehner leads an event with House Republicans today unveiling A Plan for America’s Job Creators. The plan builds on the Pledge to Americaand is designed to foster innovation and investment, tackle our debt, and help business owners create jobs without raising taxes on working families and small businesses. May 26, 2011.
WASHINGTON, DC (May 31) House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) released the following statement after the House of Representatives rejected a plan by President Obama that would threaten American jobs by raising the debt limit without making significant spending cuts and budget reforms:

“Tonight’s vote shows the House is listening to the American people. The Obama Administration and congressional Democrats have repeatedly asked for a debt limit hike without any spending cuts and budget reforms, and the American people simply will not tolerate it. Raising the debt limit without major spending cuts and meaningful reforms would hurt our economy and destroy more jobs, adding to our debt crisis. Today the House stood with the American people and said very clearly that this course of action is unacceptable.

Republicans have passed a budget and outlined a pro-growth job creation plan that pays down our debt over time. We need to create a better environment for private-sector job growth by stopping Washington from spending money it doesn’t have, not by raising taxes and adding more debt onto the backs of our kids and grandkids.”

NOTE: According to Resurgent Republic, a recent survey showed “President Obama’s request to raise the federal debt limit without any preconditions related to limiting spending” is “opposed by 9 in 10 voters.” Stanford economist John B. Taylor says “linking the debt limit to spending reductions” is “essential to a credible return to sound fiscal policy and an end to the ongoing debt explosion.”

# # # # #

TEXT CREDIT: Speaker of the House John Boehner Contact: H-232 The Capitol Washington, DC 20515 P (202) 225-0600 F (202) 225-5117

IMAGE CREDIT: This official Speaker of the House photograph is being made available only for publication by news organizations and/or for personal use printing by the subject(s) of the photograph. The photograph may not be manipulated in any way and may not be used in commercial or political materials, advertisements, emails, products, promotions that in any way suggests approval or endorsement of the Speaker of the House or any Member of Congress.

Sunday, May 15, 2011

John Boehner Face The Nation the President is really not serious about tackling the big problems that face our country TEXT VIDEO


FULL TEXT TRANSCRIPT:

HARRY SMITH: Today on a special edition of FACE THE NATION, House speaker John Boehner and President Barack Obama headed for a showdown over the debt crisis. As the nation reaches the limit on its debt, both sides say it should be increased, but Republicans want strings attached.

REPRESENTATIVE JOHN BOEHNER (R-Ohio/Speaker of the House): Without significant spending cuts and changes in the way we spend the American people’s money, there will be no increase in the debt limit.

HARRY SMITH: The President says, no way.

PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA: Let’s not have a-- a-- a-- the kind of linkage where we’re even talking about not raising the debt ceiling. That’s going to get done. But let’s get serious about
deficit reduction.

HARRY SMITH: Hearing what the President has to say, what does it make you think?

REPRESENTATIVE JOHN BOEHNER: Well, it makes me think that he’s really not serious about tackling the big problems that face our country.

HARRY SMITH: You don’t think he’s serious about the deficit reduction?

REPRESENTATIVE JOHN BOEHNER: He’s talking about it but I’m not seeing real action.

HARRY SMITH: We’ll also get the speaker’s thoughts on the Republican plan for reforming Medicare, the mortgage crisis and what’s next after Bin Laden.

All ahead on FACE THE NATION.

ANNOUNCER: FACE THE NATION with CBS News chief Washington correspondent Bob Schieffer. And now from Washington, substituting for Bob Schieffer, Harry Smith.

HARRY SMITH: Good morning and welcome to a special edition of FACE THE NATION. We’re at the Capitol this morning and we are speaking to the Speaker of the House John Boehner. Mister Speaker, good morning.

REPRESENTATIVE JOHN BOEHNER: Good morning.

HARRY SMITH: I’m going to get back to Monday when you were in New York speaking to the Economic Club and you made a lot of news because you said, you know what, we can have a conversation about raising the debt ceiling but it’s got to go hand in hand with reducing the deficit. Have you given serious thought about what parts of the deficit, what-- what would be traded here?

REPRESENTATIVE JOHN BOEHNER: Well, I think it’s the time to deal with the big problems that face our country. We’ve got spending that’s out of control. We’ve got an economy that’s not producing jobs. A lot of economists believe that-- that all of the debt and all of the spending is causing uncertainty and causing job creators to sit on their hands. I used to be a small businessman. I understand what uncertainty does. And I think it’s time to deal with the pressing fiscal problems that we have here in Washington. I’ve been here for twenty years. I’ve watched leaders who look at this problem. It’s like looking up at a mountain and seeing how tall it was and how steep it was and deciding, nah, we’ll kick the can down the road. Well, guess what? We’re running out of road to kick the can down. And I want us to deal with the big problems that
are facing us here in Washington.

HARRY SMITH: We had a town meeting earlier this week with the President talking about economic issues. And we talked about that very subject. I’d like you to take a look at what he had to say. We-- we came precipitously close to a-- a government shutdown--

PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA: Yeah.

HARRY SMITH: --within recent memory. And now the next potential real falling out is with the debt ceiling. And Speaker John Boehner said this week, “You know what, we’ll be happy to help you raise the debt ceiling. We want equivalent deficit reduction for every dollar we raise the debt ceiling.”

PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA: Hm.

PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA: Well, first of all, we both agree, John Boehner and I agree that we got to reduce our deficit. Second of all, we both agree that we’ve got to raise the debt ceiling.
Now a lot of Americans, by the way, when you ask them, should we to-- increase the debt ceiling, and they say no we’ve already got enough debt. Why would we you know, increase our limit on our credit card when we can’t pay what we’ve already got on there? The-- the-- the problem is that the way the federal government finances itself is we sell debt to investors, other countries, et cetera, through Treasury bills and if at any point somebody thought-- if investors around the world thought that the full faith and credit of the United States was not being backed up. If they thought that we might renege on our IOUs, it could unravel the entire financial system. We could have a worse recession than we already had. A worse financial crisis than we had already. So we can’t even get close to not raising the debt ceiling. But we also have to reduce the deficit. And-- and what I’ve said is let’s not have a-- the kind of linkage where we’re even talking about not raising the debt ceiling. That’s going to get done. But let’s get serious about deficit reduction. And I’ve put a-- a plan on the table that takes four trillion dollars out of our-- out of our deficit and debt. The question is, are we going to have some compromise? Is it going to be balanced? Are we going to make sure that no single group, not seniors, not poor folks, not any single group is carrying the entire burden? Let’s make sure that the burden is shared for making some tough choices.

HARRY SMITH: Can you-- can you even start a conversation on that?

HARRY SMITH: Hearing what the President has to say, what does it make you think?

REPRESENTATIVE JOHN BOEHNER: Well, it makes me think that he’s really not serious about tackling the big problems that face our country.

HARRY SMITH: You don’t think he’s serious about deficit reduction?

REPRESENTATIVE JOHN BOEHNER: Well, he’s talking about it. But I'm not seeing real action yet. And I just think this is the moment. We all know what the problems are. Why don’t-- why don’t we just deal with them? No more kicking the can down the road. FULL TEXT TRANSCRIPT in PDF FORMAT

TEXT and VIDEO CREDIT: "CBS NEWS' FACE THE NATION."

Monday, May 09, 2011

John Boehner’s address to The Economic Club of New York LIVE VIDEO FULL TEXT TRANSCRIPT

John Boehner’s address to The Economic Club of New York LIVE STREAMING VIDEO online. WATCH LIVE VIDEO: Speaker John Boehner Address on Jobs, Debt, Gas Prices

Tune in to watch LIVE STREAM Speaker Boehner’s address to The Economic Club of New York live online 05/09/11 7:00 PM ET


Speaker Boehner will highlight efforts to create a better environment for private sector job growth by cutting government spending, preventing job-crushing tax hikes, eliminating excessive federal regulations, and opening new markets for American goods.

He’ll address skyrocketing gas prices, and discuss the importance of expanding American energy production to create jobs and stopping government policies that are driving up the cost of energy.

And he’ll describe the importance of lifting our crushing burden of debt while preserving and protecting critical programs like Medicare for current and future retirees. And he’ll note that there will be no increase in the national debt limit without serious spending cuts and meaningful budget reforms.

Here are the details of tonight’s live stream of Speaker Boehner’s remarks:

WHAT: WATCH LIVE Speech by Speaker John Boehner to The Economic Club of New York

WHEN: Monday, May 9, at 7:00 PM ET

WHERE: Online HERE

We hope you’ll log on, tune in, and interact with others watching Boehner’s address. See you !

- Speaker Boehner’s Press Office

FULL TEXT TRANSCRIPT Remarks by House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) Economic Club of New York, New York, NY As Prepared for Delivery May 9, 2011

“Chairman Tisch, thank you for that introduction. And thank you for the chance to be here.

“Let me start by expressing my admiration for what you do. You come from many different backgrounds. But you're united by a common interest in the prosperity and security of our nation.

“Last night marked one week since the operation against Osama bin Laden, the man who orchestrated the horrific attack upon this city nearly 10 years ago.

“Bringing justice to Bin Laden was an important moment for America and all of the free world. But the challenges that lie ahead here at home remain formidable.

“I'm grateful for the opportunity to share my thoughts tonight on how we need to address those challenges together, as a nation.

“I came to be Speaker of the House by way of small business.

“Before I ran for Congress, I was president of a small business in West Chester, Ohio -- Nucite Sales. We were manufacturers representatives in the packaging and plastics industry.

“But Nucite wasn't my first life experience with small business. That came earlier, when my brothers and I grew up mopping the floors of Andy's Cafe, a tavern outside of Cincinnati established in the 1930s by my grandpa, Andrew, and run for decades by my dad, Earl.

“It would be fair to say I'm not from around here. I come from a working class family of what you'd call Kennedy Democrats. I have 11 brothers and sisters.

“These experiences taught me a lot, long before I entered government service.

“They taught me our economy is a product of our people. Our economy does best when government respects our people enough to give them the freedom to do what they do best.

“I believe our mission as legislators is to liberate our economy from the things that impede growth. . .to provide clear policies, so that innovators and entrepreneurs have the green light to move forward and create jobs, without having to worry about second-guessing from Washington.

“My message to you tonight is that we will not succeed in balancing the federal budget and overcoming the challenges of our debt until we commit ourselves to government policies that will let our economy achieve long-term growth. Our economy won't grow as long as we continue to trip it up with short-term gimmicks from Washington.

“Many of our problems can be traced to a misguided belief by politicians that the American economy is something that can be controlled or micromanaged or influenced positively by government intervention and borrowing.

“All too often, rather than providing long-term policies that will help our economy expand, government offers short-term fixes that do little right away, and end up making things worse over time.

“When things aren't going well in our economy, the impulse in Washington is usually to respond with something big...something quote-unquote ‘comprehensive.’ The assumption is that this will provide reassurance to job creators. But it usually has the opposite effect in practice.

“We saw this with Dodd-Frank. There was a financial meltdown in our country, and millions of Americans were hit hard. But Washington's response was all wrong.

“We got a banking system that is less competitive, pitting the small community banks like the ones in my district against giant banks that the federal government deems ‘too big to fail.’

“We got a consolidated banking system with a small number of large firms operating as public utilities.

“We got a lot of new rules that make job creation and investment more difficult.

“And the government mortgage companies that triggered the whole meltdown went untouched.

“For job creators, the ‘promise’ of a large new initiative coming out of Washington is more like a threat. It freezes them. Instead of investing in new employees or new equipment, they make the logical decision to stand pat.

“The American economy is the sum total of the hard work and ingenuity of our people.

“When the economy grows, it's not because of a new government program or spending initiative. It's because a lot of people in the private sector worked hard, and were successful in overcoming the obstacles thrown in their path.

“The rash of ‘stimulus’ legislation passed by Congress in recent years has been one of those obstacles.

“The recent stimulus spending binge hurt our economy and hampered private sector job creation in America.

“The effect of adding nearly a trillion dollars to our national debt -- money borrowed mostly from foreign investors -- caused a further erosion of economic confidence in America, and increased uncertainty for millions of private-sector job creators.

“The massive borrowing and spending by the Treasury Department crowded out private investment by American businesses of all sizes.

“Americans were told the stimulus would create millions of new jobs, and that most of them would be private sector jobs. It didn't happen.

“Job creators were looking for certainty. You don't get long-term certainty from short-term government programs.

“The lesson of the stimulus era is that short-term government intervention is no substitute for long-term economic investment, private initiative, and freedom.

“I believe it's time to leave that era behind.

“We've also seen the arrogance of government recently in the skyrocketing gas prices our citizens and businesses are dealing with.

“There's a clear connection between high gas prices and the weak dollar that some in Washington have quietly welcomed over the past couple of years.

“It's well known that when you print tons of money, the dollar sinks, and the price of food and energy rises -- significantly. Yet the American people are told there is nothing that can be done about it. This is simply untrue.

“Washington has also kept most of our nation's vast energy resources under lock and key for decades, over the clear objections of the American people -- the people who own those resources.

“If we had listened to the people decades ago -- or even a few years ago -- many of these resources would be available to us right now to lower the price of energy. And we would probably have about a million private-sector jobs in America that we don't currently have.

“Instead what Washington has done is raise the specter of higher taxes, creating more uncertainty for those in America who create jobs.

“Washington's arrogance has triggered a political rebellion in our country.

“I don't think ‘rebellion’ is too strong of a word. The revolt we have seen by ordinary citizens over the past few years is like nothing we've seen in our lifetime. And it's happening in part because the arrogant habits of Washington are having real economic consequences.

“The debt limit debate presents our nation's leaders with the opportunity to reverse these habits and prove that we're starting to get the message. It's a chance to change course and admit that reactionary, short-term Washington solutions aren't always best.

“Creating a sustainable fiscal structure for the federal government is essential for long-term economic growth. Particularly when it comes to entitlements.

“We have a chance to provide certainty to job creators by signaling that our government is finally set to take a new approach when it comes to the spending and borrowing that has put us so deeply in debt.

“As you know, the president has asked Congress to increase the debt limit, and to do so without preconditions.

“There are those who insist we shouldn't ‘play games’ with it.

“Others have gone further. One prominent figure even went so far as to say ‘the people who are threatening not to pass the debt ceiling are our version of Al-Qaeda terrorists.’

“With all due respect, this is the arrogance of power -- and the American people won’t stand for it.

“This is the time to end the spending binge and prioritize and modernize what we spend.

“There's a reason the debt limit can't be increased without a vote of Congress. The debt limit is set in statute specifically so that the executive and legislative branches of our government have to deal with the difficult fiscal choices we face.

“I know there are many in this room who are uneasy with this debate. I understand your concerns.

“It's true that allowing America to default would be irresponsible. But it would be more irresponsible to raise the debt ceiling without simultaneously taking dramatic steps to reduce spending and reform the budget process.

“To increase the debt limit without simultaneously addressing the drivers of our debt -- in defiance of the will of our people -- would be monumentally arrogant and massively irresponsible.

“It would send a signal to investors and entrepreneurs everywhere that America still is not serious about dealing with our spending addiction.

“It would erode confidence in our economy and reduce certainty for small businesses. And this would destroy even more American jobs.

“So let me be as clear as I can be. Without significant spending cuts and reforms to reduce our debt, there will be no debt limit increase. And the cuts should be greater than the accompanying increase in debt authority the president is given.

“We should be talking about cuts of trillions, not just billions.

“They should be actual cuts and program reforms, not broad deficit or debt targets that punt the tough questions to the future.

“And with the exception of tax hikes -- which will destroy jobs -- everything is on the table. That includes honest conversations about how best to preserve Medicare, because we all know, with millions of Baby Boomers beginning to retire, the status quo is unsustainable.

“If we don’t act boldly now, the markets will act for us very soon. That's the warning we got from Standard & Poor's a few weeks ago.

“If we fail to use this as a moment to demonstrate that we're getting serious about fixing the debt, the result will be fewer jobs, less confidence, and more uncertainty.

“The debt limit debate is critical because it's forcing us to make a choice right now as a nation. It's a choice between the policies of the past, and a new vision that acknowledges we can't tax, borrow and spend our way back to prosperity.

“The big myth of the current budget debate is the notion that in order to balance the budget, we have to raise taxes.

“The truth is we will never balance the budget and rid our children of debt unless we cut spending and have real economic growth. And we will never have real economic growth if we raise taxes on those in America who create jobs.

“I ran for Congress in 1990, the year our nation's leaders struck a so-called bargain that raised taxes as part of a bipartisan plan to balance the budget.

“The result of that so-called bargain was the recession of the early 1990s. It wasn't until the economy picked back up toward the end of that decade that we achieved a balanced budget.

“Today some seem intent on recycling the 1990 budget deal, only this time with much larger tax increases.

“That's not going to happen, and I've told that to the president. A tax hike would wreak havoc not only on our economy's ability to create private-sector jobs, but also on our ability to tackle the national debt.

“Balancing the budget requires spending cuts and economic growth. We won't have economic growth if we raise taxes and fail to address the drivers of our debt.

“The mere threat of tax hikes causes uncertainty for job creators -- uncertainty that results in less risk-taking and fewer jobs.

“If we're serious about balancing the budget and getting our economy back to creating jobs, tax hikes should be off the table.

“I mentioned I was raised in a family of Kennedy Democrats. It was before this very club in 1962 that President John F. Kennedy said the following: ‘Our true choice is not between tax reduction, on the one hand, and the avoidance of large federal deficits on the other. It is increasingly clear that no matter what party is in power, so long as our [needs] keep rising, an economy hampered by restrictive tax rates will never produce enough revenues to balance our budget — just as it will never produce enough jobs or enough profits.’

“Rather than increase government spending, President Kennedy told the New York Economic Club, we should cut taxes significantly, and take steps to ‘increase incentives and the availability of investment capital’ for employers.

“I would note that my colleagues and I are not calling for tax cuts in our budget. Rather, we're calling for an end to the threat of tax hikes -- and a fundamental reform of the tax code -- to provide certainty to those in our country who create jobs. We're calling for an end to the government spending binge that is crowding out private investment and threatening the availability of capital needed for job creation.

“There's another myth I need to address, and that is the myth that addressing our debt challenges requires ‘pain.’

“Addressing our debt requires action. ‘Pain’ comes only from inaction.

“Suffering comes from standing pat and waiting for investors, job creators, and capital markets to impose a solution before elected leaders cannot.

“Root-canal economics has a name, and its name is Doing Nothing. The greatest threat to our economy and our future is doing nothing.

“We urgently need to enact reforms that will protect and preserve critical programs like Medicare and Medicaid.

“If we do nothing, as some propose, that guarantees benefit cuts for seniors.

“Let me repeat that, because it’s a crucial point that is too often overlooked.

“If we do nothing, seniors’ benefits will be cut.

“And to those who contend that the economy is too weak to take on the challenge of entitlement reform -- I would simply say, you've got it backwards.

“The truth is that making fundamental reforms to these programs would be good for the economy -- and good for the next generation.

“It's possible to make changes in a way that will ensure future beneficiaries will have access to the same kinds of options as Members of Congress currently have.

“The budget put forth by our Budget Committee Chairman, Paul Ryan of Wisconsin, accomplishes this.

“And instead of raising taxes, it calls for fundamental reform of the tax code -- a priority for us that will be led by Dave Camp of Michigan, the chairman of the House Committee on Ways & Means.

“There are also other steps that can be taken immediately to help free our economy and support private-sector job creation. Many of them are outlined in the Pledge to America, the governing agenda we put forth last year by listening to the people.

“We can stop the Environmental Protection Agency from proceeding with a backdoor energy tax that will further increase gas prices and destroy jobs.

“We can pass the REINS Act, authored by my colleague Geoff Davis of Kentucky. It requires congressional approval of any new government rule with an estimated economic cost of $100 million or more.

“We can use trade agreements with Panama, Colombia, and South Korea to create jobs and boost our economy by opening new markets to American exports.

“Coupled with the fundamental spending reforms and tax reforms I've described, these policies will clear a path for long-term, sustained economic growth.

“With such policies in place, the federal budget can be balanced.

“In closing, let me say I'm humbled by the opportunity to serve our country.

“We owe it to the people of our country to ensure that the opportunities our generation had are there for current and future generations.

“We owe them a humbler government that lives within its means and values the entrepreneurial drive of our people, with policies that unleash the awesome potential of our economy.

“For those of us in Washington, this has to be our focus.

“Until our economy is back on track and the American Dream has been restored, there can be no rest.

“It starts with freedom. In America, it always has.

“Thanks for the opportunity to be with you tonight.”

TEXT CREDIT: Speaker of the House John Boehner Contact: H-232 The Capitol Washington, DC 20515 P (202) 225-0600 F (202) 225-5117

VIDEO CREDIT: SpeakerBoehner

Friday, April 08, 2011

John Boehner We’ve Got to Cut Spending If We’re Serious About Creating Jobs VIDEO


Washington (Apr 8) House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) made the following brief statement following a meeting of the House Republican Conference:

“We just met with all of our Members to try to bring them as up to speed as we can, considering that we’re still in discussions. And I might add that these discussions continue to be respectful, we continue to work together. Most of the policy issues have been dealt with and the big fight is over the spending. You’ve heard me say time and time again that we’ve got to cut spending if we’re serious about creating an environment for job creators in America to do what they do best – and that’s to create jobs.

“It’s been a difficult several weeks. Our intention has been to keep the government open. We have no interest in shutting down the government. That’s why we sent the troop funding bill over to the Senate yesterday and attached to it was a seven day agreement to keep the government open while continuing to cut spending. And I’m hopeful the Senate will take this up.

“I’m also hopeful that we’ll be able to come to some agreement. But we’re not going to roll over and sell out the American people like it’s been done time and time again here in Washington. When we say we’re serious about cutting spending, we’re damn serious about it.”

VIDEO CREDIT: JohnBoehner

TEXT CREDIT: Speaker of the House John Boehner Contact H-232 The Capitol Washington, DC 20515 P (202) 225-0600 F (202) 225-5117

Saturday, April 02, 2011

John Boehner Weekly Republican Address TEXT PODCAST VIDEO 04/02/11


Podcast of the address: Download MP3 for PODCAST || FULL TEXT TRANSCRIPT BELOW. || Download Video MPEG Video || MP4 Video

John Boehner Weekly Republican Address TEXT PODCAST VIDEO 04/02/11

Washington (Apr 2) Delivering the Weekly Republican Address, House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) discusses the new House majority’s efforts to cut spending and tackle the big challenges facing job creation in America. In the address, Boehner, a former small business owner, talks about how the spending binge in Washington is creating uncertainty for private-sector job creators and holding our economy back. He reiterates Republicans’ commitment to fighting for the largest spending cuts possible, and says it’s important to resolve last year’s budget mess so we can tackle the bigger challenges facing job creation. Those challenges include the job-crushing $1.5 trillion tax hike in President Obama’s budget for next year, and his request for an increase in the national debt limit without a commitment to ending runaway spending. Following is the full text of the address.

John Boehner Weekly Republican Address“Hello, I’m John Boehner. Before I had the honor of representing the people of Ohio’s 8th Congressional District, I ran a small business back in West Chester, Ohio.

Small businesses are the engine of job creation in America: they actually create jobs, the government doesn’t. That’s why I ran for Congress – to do my part to get government out of the way of American prosperity. Despite some recent signs of life, our economy still isn’t creating enough jobs. And one of the reasons for that is the spending binge that’s been going on in Washington.

“Washington’s inability to get spending under control is creating uncertainty for our job creators. It’s discouraging investment in small businesses, and eroding confidence in our economy. To put it simply, the spending binge in Washington is holding our country back and keeping our economy from creating jobs.

“Last year, when the President tried to put forward another big-spending budget on top of his ‘stimulus,’ Americans rose up and demanded we stop the spending binge and start working together to create a better environment for job creation. They put a new majority in charge of the House with clear orders: crash the spending party in Washington so our economy can get back to creating jobs.

“We’ve made some early progress. This year, the federal government will spend at least $51 billion less than it would have if the president had gotten his way. And because we’ve kept the pressure on, Democrats in the White House and the Senate are being forced to talk about a bill that would cut tens of billions more. Over the next decade, the savings will be hundreds of billions of dollars. This is nowhere near enough, but it’s a clear change in direction.

“Now, you’ve heard Democratic leaders claim an agreement has been reached on this issue, but let me be clear. There is no agreement. Republicans continue to fight for the largest spending cuts possible to help end Washington’s job-crushing spending binge.

“To support job creation in America, we need to keep the cuts coming, and we need to do much, much more. That’s why it’s important for Congress to get moving and pass a final bill that resolves last year’s budget mess while making real spending cuts – so we can tackle the bigger challenges facing job creation.

“One of those challenges is stopping the $1.5 trillion tax hike the president called for in his budget for next year. This tax hike will affect every family and small business in America, and it will destroy jobs. The president has also asked Congress to increase the national debt limit – without any commitment to stopping the runaway spending that got us into this mess in the first place. If the president gets his wish, it would send the signal that America has no plan to deal with her spending illness – and that’s going to have the effect, again, of destroying more American jobs.

“We also need to address all the red tape and regulations that are making it harder to create jobs and driving up the cost of health care and energy.

“To put America on a path to prosperity, we need to remove regulatory obstacles to job growth, expand American energy production, end the threat of tax hikes, approve stalled trade agreements that would open new markets, and get government spending under control once and for all. These are the pillars of the Republican plan to help get our economy back to creating jobs, and this is the focus of our new majority in the House.

“Thanks for listening, and have a great weekend.”

VIDEO and IMAGE CREDIT: JohnBoehner

TEXT CREDIT: Speaker of the House John Boehner Contact H-232 The Capitol Washington, DC 20515 P (202) 225-0600 F (202) 225-5117

AUDIO / VIDEO FILES CREDIT: The House Republican Conference - Digital Communications visual.media@mail.house.gov 202-225-5439

Wednesday, March 30, 2011

John Boehner Calls For House to Renew D.C. School Choice Program H.R. 471 VIDEO FULL TEXT


House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) speaks on the House floor in support of H.R. 471, legislation renewing the bipartisan, successful D.C. Opportunity Scholarship Program, which has helped thousands of disadvantaged students gain access to a quality education. Boehner also submitted for the record letters from a parent and several students who hope the Obama Administration will work with Congress to ensure the program will continue.

H.R. 471 To reauthorize the DC opportunity scholarship program, and for other purposes in PDF FORMAT

TEXT and VIDEO CREDIT: JohnBoehner

Monday, March 28, 2011

John Boehner asks Five Simple Questions for Democrats on Spending Cuts

John BoehnerIt was 37 days ago that House Republicans passed H.R. 1, a clear plan for cutting spending to create a better environment for job growth and keeping the government funded for the rest of this fiscal year. But here we are, more than a month later, and nobody knows where the Democrats who run Washington stand on cutting spending – including Democrats themselves.

To help move the process along, we’d like answers to these five simple questions:

* 1) When will Senate Democrats offer a serious plan for cutting spending and funding the government for the rest of the fiscal year? AP noted that “[t]he House has voted for $61 billion in cuts” – H.R. 1. But Politico says “Senate Democrats haven’t put forward a long-term spending plan that can move through their chamber.” In fact, Democrats have “shown no ability to rally behind a long-term budget proposal.” So where is their plan?

* 2) Where does the White House stand on cutting spending and funding the government for the rest of the fiscal year? “Democrats on both sides of the Capitol say they have no idea where the White House stands or who’s running the show,” reports Politico. Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV) said on the Senate floor, “Our president has failed to lead this debate or offer a serious proposal for spending and cuts that he would be willing to fight for.” And Rep. Mike Capuano (D-MA) asked, “Where is the president going to lead? And are we going to follow?”

* 3) What exactly is the White House willing to cut? The Washington Post says “Democrats are being disingenuous by suggesting they have already worked hard to reduce spending or to reach out to Republicans.” Despite repeated claims by the White House and top Democrats, “when they're translated into real numbers, the White House is arguably meeting the GOP just one-sixth of the way — not halfway at all,” says AP.

* 4) What exactly are Congressional Democrats willing to cut? “The top two Democratic leaders in the House have twice split on whether to approve short-term government funding bills that cut billions from federal accounts,” reported Politico. And remember: the House-passed H.R.1 received more votes in the Democrat-run Senate than the status quo spending plan put forward by Democratic leaders.

* 5) Do Democrats intend to shut down the government because they can't agree among themselves? Politico says Democrats have been “wobbly in their budget message, divided on major votes and out of sync…” To mask these ongoing divisions – and their desire to keep the job-crushing spending binge going – Democrats have repeatedly rooted for a government shutdown. As CNN reported, “it is the Democrats talking most about shutting down the government.”

The new Republican Majority is working to clean up the mess left behind when “the Democratic-controlled Congress failed to pass a budget” last year. But we need to know – as Speaker Boehner asked the other day – “when it comes to cutting spending and keeping the government running, where are Washington Democrats?”

TEXT and IMAGE CREDIT: Speaker of the House John Boehner Contact H-232 The Capitol Washington, DC 20515 P (202) 225-0600 F (202) 225-5117

Friday, March 25, 2011

John Boehner “The Status Quo Is Unacceptable, and That’s All Washington Democrats Are Offering”

John Boehner and Republican leadership

House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) is joined by, left to right, Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-VA), Conference Chairman Jeb Hensarling (R-TX), Energy and Commerce Chairman Fred Upton (R-MI), and Natural Resources Chairman Doc Hastings (R-WA) at a press conference to announce the American Energy Initiative. March 10, 2011.
Speaker Boehner on Cutting Spending: “The Status Quo Is Unacceptable, and That’s All Washington Democrats Are Offering”

Washington (Mar 25) House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) issued the following statement regarding Washington Democrats’ continued failure to offer a credible, long-term plan to cut spending and keep the government running:

“It has now been 34 days since the House passed H.R. 1 to keep the government running through September and make the spending cuts economists say are needed to end the uncertainty facing job creators. At no point in the 34 days since the House acted have the Democrats who run the Senate and the White House put forward a credible, long-term plan to resolve their budget mess. Instead, Washington Democrats continue to downplay the severity of their budget mess, and the uncertainty it’s causing job creators in America.
We have been ready to do the people’s work, but we weren’t sent here to negotiate with ourselves. Many questions remain, starting with: when it comes to cutting spending and keeping the government running, where are Washington Democrats? If they have a plan, what is it? If Democrats don’t have a plan, do they intend to shut down the government because they can't agree among themselves? The status quo is unacceptable, and right now that is all Washington Democrats are offering.”

TEXT CREDIT: Speaker of the House John Boehner Contact H-232 The Capitol Washington, DC 20515 P (202) 225-0600 F (202) 225-5117

IMAGE CREDIT: SpeakerBoehner

Sunday, March 20, 2011

Statement by Speaker Boehner on Libya

Speaker Boehner meets with Gen. David Petraeus

Speaker Boehner meets with Gen. David Petraeus in his Capitol Hill office. March 17, 2011.
WASHINGTON, DC (Mar 20) House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) issued the following statement on the situation in Libya:

“The United States has a moral obligation to stand with those who seek freedom from oppression and self-government for their people. It’s unacceptable and outrageous for Qadhafi to attack his own people, and the violence must stop.

“The President is the commander-in-chief, but the Administration has a responsibility to define for the American people, the Congress, and our troops what the mission in Libya is, better explain what America’s role is in achieving that mission, and make clear how it will be accomplished. Before any further military commitments are made, the Administration must do a better job of communicating to the American people and to Congress about our mission in Libya and how it will be achieved.”

# # # # #

TEXT CREDIT: Speaker of the House John Boehner Contact H-232 The Capitol Washington, DC 20515 P (202) 225-0600 F (202) 225-5117

IMAGE CREDIT: SpeakerBoehner